West Bromich Albion 4-0

Telegraph:

West Brom 0 Chelsea 4: Tony Pulis faces sack as Baggies battered and boos ring out at Hawthorns

Matt Law

Tony Pulis has built a career on being a fighter, but he sounded like a beaten man after watching West Bromwich Albion fall to a humiliating fourth successive Premier League defeat that left him on the brink of the sack.

With the club’s Chinese owner Guochuan Lai in the stands, the West Brom fans could not have made their feelings any clearer as they worked their way through a list of “Pulis out” chants that increased in volume after each Chelsea goal.

Pulis himself chose not to argue against the calls for his head and admitted that West Brom chairman John Williams had spoken to him in the dressing-room following the latest loss, but would not reveal what was said. There was certainly no suggestion he had received any reassurance over his position and it seems like a question of when and not if the axe falls.

“What is the right decision for the football club, that’s the most important thing,” said Pulis. “It’s not about me, the chairman or the owner. This club will be here long after I have gone.
“I have been in the game long enough to know what happens if you get on a bad run and a decision has to be made that is right for the club.”

Pulis travelled straight down to Bournemouth to meet with friends on Saturday night and added: “I met with the owner last night (Friday) and he is a really good person. John Williams came in the dressing-room after the game, but what we spoke about will remain private. We will see what happens.”

Pulis had used his programme notes to try to remind the West Brom fans, and possibly Lai, what he feels he has achieved during his time at the club. But the only fact that mattered to the fans who chanted “Tony Pulis, get out of our club” was that this was an 11th game in all competitions without a victory. They want a change and they want it now.
West Brom’s difficulty is the fact they first need somebody to get them out of a relegation scrap and Pulis would normally be considered the perfect man for that particular job.

Andre Villas-Boas and Roberto di Matteo were both sacked by Chelsea following defeats to West Brom, but current head coach Antonio Conte must love a trip to the Black Country. Conte’s Chelsea team clinched the Premier League title at The Hawthorns in May thanks to a last-gasp goal from Michy Batshuayi, but this game was over after just 38 minutes.

Having started brightly, West Brom collapsed once they went behind in the 17th minute to an Alvaro Morata goal. Eden Hazard’s shot was well saved by Ben Foster and Chelsea’s record signing reacted quickest to steer the ball into the net. Hazard celebrated the goal by going to the home fans, who had accused him of feigning injury a few minutes earlier.

The Belgian got his ultimate revenge by finishing off a wonderful move to double Chelsea’s lead shortly afterwards. A Cesc Fabregas pass was beautifully flicked through by Morata and Hazard beat Foster to the ball to score. The assist was the 12th Premier League goal Morata had been involved in since joining the Blues, scoring eight times and making four others.

Hearing the West Brom fans join the Chelsea travelling support in singing “You’re getting sacked in the morning” will have hurt Pulis, but not as much as the manner in which his team conceded a third before half-time. Fabregas found Marcos Alonso completely unmarked at the back post with a free-kick and the left-back could not really miss. For a man who prides himself on set-piece organisation, that felt like game over for Pulis.

Alonso’s goal sparked chants of “Get out of our club” and “Tony Pulis, your football is s***, with boos ringing out around The Hawthorns when the half-time whistle went.

Needing a miracle to get his team back into the match, Pulis sent on defensive midfielder Claudio Yacob for the second period but it was not long until things got even worse. Foster managed to stop one Hazard shot with his legs, but the forward netted his second and Chelsea’s fourth goal just after the hour mark, and, once again, it was far too easy. Fabregas played a perfect pass over the West Brom midfield for Hazard, who held off Ahmed Hegazi and checked back before firing the ball into the net.

The goal sparked a mass exodus among the home fans and those who stayed attempted to reinforce their point to Lai by chanting “We want Pulis out.” It will be a surprise if they do not get their wish.
A comfortable win was the perfect preparation for a Champions League trip to Qarabag for Chelsea, but Conte is unhappy with the fixture scheduling.

“We are going to play against Qarabag and we will land at 5am or 6am on Thursday morning, and then we play a great game against Liverpool on Saturday,” said Conte. “Is it normal? I don’t think so. If someone wants more balance then they must pay great attention to the fixtures.”

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Mail:

West Brom 0-4 Chelsea: Pressure builds on Tony Pulis as Baggies are battered by Eden Hazard double with Alvaro Morata and Marcos Alonso also scoring

By Laurie Whitwell

All the components that would see Tony Pulis sacked by West Bromwich Albion arrived in a desolate defeat to Chelsea that left the manager of a thousand games wearing a thousand-yard stare.
When Eden Hazard added a fourth Chelsea goal in the 63rd minute, Pulis' fixed face read like he knows his fate. It was the moment that prompted an exodus by home fans and further calls for Pulis to go.

The most damning element to this 4-0 loss however was the players, who seemingly conceded defeat as soon as Chelsea went ahead in the first half. The second period felt much like a practice game, with West Brom simply going through the motions rather than putting up a fight for their beleaguered boss.

If, as expected, this becomes Pulis' last match in charge it would be a sorry end for a man who guided West Brom to 10th last term and in parts brought entertaining football in his near three-year reign.
But with Guochuan Lai, West Brom's owner, watching in the stands beside chairman John Williams, the writing looks on the wall.
West Brom's run extended to two wins from 21 Premier League games and though they are not yet in the relegation zone, kept afloat by a point, they will fall below the dreaded dotted line should West Ham beat Watford at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

For Antonio Conte, no stranger to speculation himself, this was a victory that had travelling supporters singing his name repeatedly. A fourth Premier League win in a row shows the Italian still has whatever it was that took Chelsea to last season's title and though a successful defence may be out of reach they are perhaps the best-equipped team to challenge Manchester City.

The focus though, will all be on Pulis, whose post-match press conference sounded like a farewell speech.
He said: 'The big thing is this is not about me, it's not about the chairman, the owners or anything else. It's about the football club and what is the right decision for the football club.'
Asked if the right decision would be for him to be relieved of his duties, Pulis said: 'I've been in the game long enough to know if you get bad runs that's what happens.
'I met with the Chinese owners last night. They are wonderful people but I know as much as anyone you have to get results.

'John came into the dressing room as he always does. What we spoke about is private, and he's a good man. We'll have to see what happens.'
Pulis' programme notes had read almost like a pitch for his next job, a detailed defence of his West Brom tenure, and in the opening exchanges his team showed energy to match. Salomon Rondon even headed past Thibaut Courtois, but the flag was up for offside.

However Chelsea sucked the life from West Brom by opening the scoring in the 17th minute. Hazard twisted free of Gareth Barry and struck a potent shot that swirled in the air and forced Ben Foster to parry. Alvaro Morata made converting the rebound look easier than it was, for his eighth Premier League goal of the campaign.
Instead of celebrating Hazard complained to referee Jon Moss about a hefty earlier challenge from Barry that left him on the floor, and still riled moments later the Belgian charged in late on Grzegorz Krychowiak to earn the clearest of bookings.

Six minutes later he was charging through West Brom's defence. Cesc Fabregas had fired a pass up to Morata, who beautifully flicked the ball on so Hazard was in. Foster was hasty in coming out and Hazard rounded to convert.
That brought the first sounds of dissent from home fans and in the 38th minute they grew louder when West Brom conceded in an area of the game that Pulis can usually depend on.
Fabregas had a free-kick by the area and simply chipped the ball to the far post, where Marcos Alonso was waiting unmarked to volley in from a tight angle. It was a good finish but the lack of defensive rigour was disquieting.
At half-time Pulis sent on Claudio Yacob, who may not have seemed the most obvious catalyst for a comeback, but did engender a positive reaction from the crowd given his years of service.

But what followed was a 45-minute procession where the only question was how many Conte's team would score.
Hazard saw a shot saved by Foster, then Morata the same. In the 63rd minute the fourth arrived and again the simplicity tore away at Pulis' reputation for being hard to break down.
Fabregas chipped a fine ball over the top to Hazard, who collected, drifted inside Ahmed Hegazi, and promptly buried a finish into the corner of the net.
That sparked a steady flow of people leaving and at the final whistle those who had stayed grew angry in their chants for 'Pulis out'. There would not be any surprise to see the call heeded.

WBA (3-5-1-1): Foster 5; Hegazi 4, McAuley 6, Evans 6; Phillips 6.5 (McClean 84), Livermore 6, Barry 6, Krychowiak 3 (Yacob 46, 6), Gibbs 5; Rodriguez 5 (Burke 70, 5); Rondon 4
Unused subs: Myhill, Nyom, Brunt, Robson-Kanu
Bookings: Rondon 55, Yacob 89
Manager: Tony Pulis 6

Chelsea (3-5-1-1): Courtois 7; Azpilicueta 7, Christensen 7.5, Cahill 7; Zappacosta 7, Bakayoko 7, Kante 7 (Willian 77), Fabregas 8 (Drinkwater 68, 6), Alonso 7; Hazard 9 (Pedro 71, 6); Morata 8
Unused subs: Caballero, Rudiger, David Luiz, Ampadu
Goals: Morata 17, Hazard 23, 63, Alonso 38
Bookings: Hazard 19, Fabregas 50, Morata 90
Manager: Antonio Conte 8

MoM: Hazard
Referee: Jon Moss 7
Attendane: 23,592


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Independent:

West Bromwich Albion fans call for Tony Pulis' head as Hazard-inspired Chelsea run riot at the Hawthorns

West Brom 0 Chelsea 4: The Hawthorns crowd wanted Pulis' head after an embarrassing first half where Chelsea scored three unanswered goals, adding another after the break

Steve Madeley

Eden Hazard led the way as Chelsea cruised to victory at The Hawthorns to leave West Brom head coach Tony Pulis on the brink.

Hazard scored a goal in each half with his second on 62 minutes sending thousands of Albion fans streaming for the exits while those that remained called for Pulis’s head.
The Belgian also played a major hand in Alvaro Morata’s opener while Marcos Alonso also found the net as Antonio Conte’s men coasted to victory.

Their win left Pulis with just two wins from his last 21 Premier League games with angry fans amid a generally subdued Hawthorns atmosphere demanding his removal.
With owner Guochuan Lai travelling from China to watch the game and Baggies directors known to be concerned at the alarming slump in form, Pulis faces a fight to remain in charge for next weekend’s trip to Tottenham.

Yet it was the Baggies who made the brightest start with three early crosses from Matt Phillips, deployed as a right wing-back, causing problems for the champions.
The first two narrowly evaded waiting team-mates but the third was headed into the net by the towering Salomon Rondon with the aid of a fumble from Thibaut Courtois, only for an offside flag to put paid to any celebrations.

A spirited forward run by Jay Rodriguez brought more hope for the hosts with his through-ball directed towards Rondon, but the Venezuelan was dispossessed by Cesar Azpilicueta.

Chelsea had struggled to turn possession into chances but on 14 minutes they went close when Tiemoue Bakayoko turned Gareth McAuley on the edge of the box and saw a shot deflected wide.
Just three minutes later the visitors were ahead as Hazard, who had been down injured, got back to his feet and hit a shot that was parried by goalkeeper Ben Foster, only for Morata to turn in the rebound.
And once they were behind, Pulis’s side capitulated.
Marcos Alonso dragged a shot wide for the visitors, who then made it 2-0 on 23 minutes.

It was poor, static defending from the hosts but the flick from Morata to turn a Cesc Fabregas pass into the path of Hazard was sublime.
The Belgium did the rest, rounding Foster and finding the gaping net.
After appearing shellshocked in the immediate aftermath of the goals, West Brom applied a little pressure with Jake Livermore firing over the crossbar and Ahmed Hegazi heading just wide from a Gareth Barry corner.

The third goal arrived seven minutes before half-time when Hegazi wrestled Morata to the floor, Fabregas delivered a free-kick and Albion left Alonso unmarked to score at the far post.
Rondon made some headway early in the second half for Albion with Jay Rodriguez shooting narrowly wide before Gary Cahill made a vital challenge to snuff out another Rondon run.
But Chelsea were soon back on the front foot with Fabregas booked harshly by referee Jon Moss for diving when he appeared to collide with Gareth McAuley in the West Brom box.

There was little reaction to Pulis’s plight from his players in the second half despite a half-time change in system and personnel that saw the combative Claudio Yacob replacing the ineffective Grzegorz Krychowiak.
Hazard added to their pain with 28 minutes remaining as more statuesque home defending allowed him to collect a difficult high ball.

From there he sidestepped Hegazi and McAuley before bending a shot past a helpless Ben Foster.
That led to a mass exodus from home supporters but those who stayed mustered brief chants of ‘we want Pulis out’.
There were some louder chants of 'Pulis Out' as clock ticked over to 90 minutes and choruses of 'Tony Pulis, your football is s***'.

West Brom (3-5-2): Foster; McAuley, Evans, Hegazi; Phillips (McClean 84), Livermore, Krychowiak (Yacob HT), Barry, Gibbs; Rondon, Rodriguez (Burke 70). Subs not used: Myhill, Nyom, Robson-Kanu, Brunt. Booked: Rondon, Yacob.

Chelsea (3-4-3): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill; Zappacosta, Kante (William 77), Bakayoko, Alonso; Hazard (Pedro 70), Fabregas (Drinkwater 67); Morata. Subs not used: Caballero, Rudiger, David Luiz, Ampadu. Booked: Hazard, Fabregas, Morata.
Referee: Jonathan Moss (West Yorkshire)


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Observer:

Tony Pulis on the brink after four-goal Chelsea hammer West Brom
West Brom 0 - 4 Chelsea

Stuart James at The Hawthorns

The message was loud and clear as the home supporters spelt out to Guochuan Lai, the club’s Chinese owner, exactly what they think of Tony Pulis. Anger and frustration has been bubbling away here for a while, yet this was the afternoon when patience finally snapped. “We want Pulis out,” was chanted repeatedly by a fanbase that is no longer willing to tolerate the sight of him in charge of a team in freefall.

“You’re getting sacked in the morning” and “Tony Pulis, your football is shit” also reverberated as Chelsea brutally exposed the brittle confidence in a side that has now won two of their past 21 Premier League matches and collected 12 points in the process. It is relegation form and Pulis appears powerless to arrest the slide.

Lai had scheduled this visit around six weeks ago but it could not have been more timely and it was tempting to wonder what was going through his mind as he watched such a listless performance on the pitch and listened to the scathing criticism of Pulis from the stands. Pulis’s position felt untenable come the end and the 59-year-old sounded like a man who is resigned to his fate when he attended the post-match press conference,

The empty seats before the game told a story – faith was lost in these parts a long time ago – and so did the sight of many others leaving with 27 minutes remaining. Eden Hazard had just scored his second and Chelsea’s fourth as they coasted to a fourth successive Premier League victory.
This had turned into an exercise in damage limitation for Albion long before half-time. Chelsea were 3-0 up after only 38 minutes and, as well as the Premier League champions played at times, it was alarming to see a team managed by Pulis defending so shambolically. There was so much time and space for Chelsea to exploit and the visitors were not going to pass up the opportunity.

Álvaro Morata continued his excellent start to the season, netting Chelsea’s first from close range and setting up the second for Hazard, taking his tally to eight goals and four assists in the league. Marcos Alonso then scored Chelsea’s third, taking advantage of some appalling marking from a set-piece, before Hazard added the goal that reflected the gulf in quality between the two sides.

Antonio Conte will have few easier afternoons in the dugout. “The game became easy because we started very well,” said Chelsea’s manager, who senses that his team are finding some form. “Last season we won 13 games in a row and I must be honest, in this league it’s not simple to have this type of run, because every game you have to play with great concentration. But four wins in a row is important for us and our confidence. We started this season with many problems but we are trying slowly to find the right solution.”

Morata certainly seems like the answer up front. The Spaniard’s opening goal was routine enough but it was an exquisite flick he produced from Cesc Fàbregas’s pass to set Hazard free for Chelsea’s second. Hazard rounded Ben Foster with the minimum of fuss, rolled the ball into the empty net and already, with 23 minutes gone, it felt like there was no way back for Albion.
That feeling was reinforced when Alonso added the third. Fàbregas, who was involved in three of Chelsea’s four goals, delivered a free-kick from wide on the left and it is no exaggeration to say that there was no defender within five yards of Alonso, who volleyed high into the roof of the net with the angle against him at the far post.

Toothless up front, overrun in midfield and wide open at the back, Albion were all over the place and it was no surprise when Chelsea grabbed a fourth. Fàbregas’s fine lofted pass released Hazard in behind and the Belgian twisted away from Ahmed Hegazi before dispatching a low shot into the bottom corner. The game was up for Albion. And it surely is for Pulis, too.

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Star:

West Brom 0 Chelsea 4: Blues run riot at the Hawthorns and pile the pressure on Tony Pulis

TONY PULIS was clinging to his job by his fingernails – and that was before they were savaged by the champions.
By Peter Oakes at The Hawthorns

It will take a miracle for him to survive and at this rate if he does stay on and cannot turn it around quickly then the Baggies are boing, boing down.
Albion owner Guochuan Lai is as hard to read as any Chinese billionaire and did not show his feelings as he had a first-hand view of his side’s capitulation.
But you can only imagine the thoughts swirling around the head of Lai as Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas and Alvaro Morata took West Brom apart.

It was an embarrassing humiliation for Pulis and what is even more worrying than the scoreline is the fact that Chelsea did not have to work that hard.
Pulis’ teams have never been easy on the eye but always had a toughness and unwillingness to be a soft touch for anyone. Not anymore as this latest mauling means they have gone 11 games without a win.
Hazard got the ball rolling in only the 17th minute, ghosting through a couple of weak challenges and forcing Ben Foster down to his right. The goalkeeper got a hand to it but could only scoop it into Morata’s feet and the Spaniard made it eight Premier League goals so far.

Six minutes later the roles were reversed as the striker’s slick flick gave the Belgian the chance to evade the onrushing Foster and finish calmly.
Then Fabregas’ free-kick sailed over everyone to Marcos Alonso who bundled it over the line at the far post. A measure of Albion’s awful display – they were booed off at half-time and full-time – came within a minute of the restart with the biggest cheer of the day for interval substitute Claudio Yacob actually winning a tackle!
The Argentinean scrapper has been in the Premier League cold since the opening game of the season – one of only two the Baggies have won – but he was powerless as Hazard made it four in the 62nd minute.

Eagle-eyed Fabregas spotted him as the furthest man forward and picked him out with a floated pass. Centre-backs Ahmed Hegazi and Gareth McAuley stood off the playmaker who had time to pick his spot.
Albion did give Chelsea the odd problem with high balls and set-pieces but Jay Rodriguez headed tamely straight at Thibaut Courtois from eight yards out.
At least the Baggies looked more up for it after the break without ever troubling Courtois. But they were still susceptible, Foster getting his foot to another Hazard effort.

The only time Chelsea boss Antonio Conte had a fright was in the dying minutes as Morata was booked for a tackle and then foolishly kicked the ball away. A few referees would have sent him packing but Jon Moss just spoke to skipper Cesar Azpilicueta and had a stern word with the striker.
Pulis said: “I think we have got better players this year than last year, I think the squad is stronger but we need results and we have not got the results we want.
“I have been in the game long enough to know if you get bad results. Everything’s about now and not what you have done in the past.

“I’m disappointed that we haven’t got the results we were hoping for and I think the players worked hard but the goals were awful, the four goals were really poor goals.
“You have to defend better, it’s not just the first, it’s the second one, the third one and the fourth one – they shouldn’t be goals we are conceding.”
Conte slammed fixtures bosses and believes they could cost Chelsea the title. The Blues face a 6,000-mile round trip to Baku to face Azerbaijan champions Qarabag on Wednesday ahead of Saturday night’s showdown away to Liverpool.

They had to cope with a similar sleep-depriving journey at the start of October when they won 2-1 at Atletico Madrid before losing 1-0 at home to Manchester City.
Conte said: “We came back at 5am on the Thursday and played on the Saturday.
“They must pay more attention to these type of fixtures and give other teams the same facility. If we had won against Manchester City the distance between us is not so great.
“Now we have to play on Wednesday night and then get back to London at five or six o’clock in the morning and then we have another great game on the Saturday.
“Is it normal? If someone wants more balance in this league they must pay great attention to the fixtures.”

But at least the Italian was able to rest Hazard, N’Golo Kante and Fabregas, bringing them off early.
He added: “Wednesday’s game is the most important game of the season because we have the possibility with a win to go through to the next round in the Champions League.
“To start an important week this way was very important for our confidence. This game became easy because we started very well with great focus and played very well.”

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Sun:

BLUES CRUISE West Brom 0 Chelsea 4: Blues batter Baggies as Alvaro Morata and Eden Hazard run amok in hammering at the Hawthorns

Antonio Conte's men jumped up to second in the Premier League after hot start saw game sealed well before half-time

By Andrew Dillon and Dave Fraser

EDEN HAZARD took a kick on the leg and then well and truly put the boot into West Brom.
Chelsea’s little dynamo scored a goal and set up another as the Premier League champions ran riot on the ground where they clinched the title last season.
And in doing so they nudged under-pressure Albion boss Tony Pulis closer to the sack after his team crumbled right in front of the club’s watching Chinese owners.
Capitulation, boos from the home fans and seeing them streaming for the exits even before half time made the afternoon even more painful.
And all after a relatively bright start in which Salomon Rondon had the ball in the net after only four minutes only for it to be ruled fractionally offside.

It was soon after that Hazard felt the pain of Gareth Barry’s studs down the side of his leg, just above the ankle. And it turned the match.
Hazard got angry but channeled his frustration into a spellbinding virtuoso half hour performance in which Chelsea went out and won the game.
On 17 minutes the little Belgian ran into the Albion box, turning Ahmed Hegazi neatly. Hazard’s powerful shot was stopped but not held by keeper Ben Foster.
Alvaro Morata reacted quickest and rammed the rebound into an empty net to give Chelsea the lead.
Six minutes later Morata returned the favour, flicking a tidy pass through the centre circle into Hazard’s path with a deft move of his right ankle.

Hazard was set free to race clear, beat Foster to the ball and then bury his shot again into an unguarded net for two-nil.
It was all over seven minutes before half time when Morata won a free kick on the edge of the box.
Fabregas lifted the cross over everybody except left wing back Marcos Alonso, out of position on the right but still totally unmarked at the far post to volley in the softest of goals.
Chelsea fans taunted Pulis with chants about getting the sack - and Baggies fans joined in.
Hazard scored his second and Chelsea’s fourth in the 62nd minute when more ragged defending allowed him time to pick his spot and shoot from 18 yards.

STATS, FACTS, GOALS & LOLS
Ahead of kick-off, West Brom had lost 16 of their 22 Premier League games against Chelsea, their joint-highest total (Arsenal and Manchester City).
Chelsea had won on their two most-recent visits to The Hawthorns, even securing the 2016-17 Premier League title thanks to a Michy Batshuayi goal in May.
The game was Antonio Conte's 50th Premier League match.
Marcos Alonso squeezes in Chelsea's third before half-time at West Brom
Ahead of the game, Morata had been directly involved in ten goals in ten league games for Chelsea... before scoring and adding an assist in the West Brom game.
Eden Hazard has scored five Premier League goals against West Brom - his joint-most against any team (level with Bournemouth).

WHAT THEY SAID
Chelsea star Eden Hazard: "Manchester City are winning a lot of games but we want to close the gap. You never know in the Premier League.
"Last year we won 12 or 13 games in a row so why not again? We have to be ready for that."

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Mirror:
West Brom 0-4 Chelsea: Hazard inspires Blues to easy win as pressure cranks up on Pulis - 5 talking points
The champions sprinted to a 3-0 first-half lead as they moved up to second place in the table

ByJames Nursey

Tony Pulis' West Brom reign is close to breaking point after this heavy home beating by champions Chelsea .
Alvaro Morata, Eden Hazard and Marcos Alonso were on target for Chelsea in the first half.

It extends Albion's dire run to just two wins in 21 games under Pulis.
Home fans called for his head as the Baggies were jeered off at half-time and the final whistle.
Morata struck in the 17th minute after Hazard had a shot saved before the Spaniard flicked the ball for Hazard to net himself with a cool finish.

While defender Alonso was inexplicably unmarked at the back post to volley in Cesc Fabregas' free-kick in the 38th minute.
After the break Hazard produced his second fine finish of the match from Fabregas' ball before Antonio Conte subbed some of his stars.

1. Hazard revels in winding up WBA

Hazard annoyed the home fans as he went down injured in the first half before slowly getting up and quickly inspiring the visitors into the lead. Hazard stayed down as Albion played on but rose to his feet to jeers from the home support. He then saw his left-foot shot from outside the area palmed away from Ben Foster for Morata to convert in the 17th minute. Then Hazard got on the scoresheet himself in the 23rd minute after a clever flick by Morata. He celebrated with a knee-slide infront of the home fans in the Birmingham Road End which did not go down well. He also produced another fine finish in the second half.

2. Recall for bad-boy Luiz

Chelsea's £34million defender David Luiz was left in the stands for the champions' previous game at home to Manchester United. The Brazilian,30, paid the price for questioning Conte's tactics. Chelsea named the same starting XI from the win over United but Luiz was back on the bench at The Hawthorns as Conte begins to re-integrate him back into the squad.

3. Pulis pens his point

Under-fire Tony Pulis used his programme notes to launch a stiff defence of his reign at WBA.
He emphasised how he has turned the club around since joining in 2015 , when they were in the drop zone, by shipping out various dud signings, blooding youngsters and working with the out-going and in-coming board to help sell the club, while it continues to make a profit.

4. Krychowiak struggles

Polish midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak was hailed as a huge coup by both Pulis and pundits when he arrived from PSG on loan in August after previously costing the Paris club around £28m a year earlier. Pulis has given him every chance but he has simply not made an impact. He was fortunate to keep his place for Chelsea's visit as he made his 10th start but was subbed at half-time and replaced by the popular Claudio Yacob , who got stuck in and was well received by the crowd.
5. Drinkwater plays

Danny Drinkwater got pelters for turning down an England call-up for friendlies against Germany and Brazil as he continues his rehabilitation after recent injury problems.
He came in for some heavy criticism for his apparent snub and the haters will be unimpressed to see he was fit to come on as sub here - as Jose Mourinho predicted when he complained about Phil Jones' injury - to replace Fabregas who helped create three goals

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Birmingham Express and Star:

West Brom 0 Chelsea 4

By Matt Wilson

Baggies boss Tony Pulis is on the brink tonight following a damaging 4-0 rout at home to the champions.

Chants of 'You're getting sacked in the morning', 'Your football is s**t' and 'Pulis out' were directed his way from disillusioned Albion fans who watched their team slip to their fourth straight defeat.
Three first half goals knocked the stuffing out of the home side, who actually started brightly before a clinical Chelsea team turned on the style, but home fans were streaming out by the hour mark when the fourth went in.

Those that stayed made their feelings felt at full-time with further calls for the head coach to be sacked, and with owner Guochuan Lai watching on alongside chairman John Williams after jetting in from China for the game, Pulis's job now hangs in the balance.

It is now 11 games without a win in all competitions, and just two victories in the past 21 league games - the worst run in his managerial career.
It was telling that the most threatening player going forward was Matt Phillips and the defensive player who showed the most fight was substitute Claudio Yacob - two players who have been unable to get in the team recently.

Before the game, Pulis hit back at the fans in his programme notes by starting a staunch defence of his time at The Hawthorns with the words, 'Talking about reminding people...'
It came after the away end had turned on him at Huddersfield, but despite the muted build-up inside The Hawthorns before the game, Albion's fans were soon getting behind their team thanks to a bright start.
Pulis kept faith in the 5-3-2 formation that has struggled in recent weeks, but brought Phillips in for Allan Nyom at right wing-back and Salomon Rondon in for Hal Robson-Kanu up front - and it was working in the opening stages.

Jake Livermore created the first opening three minutes in by skipping away from two Chelsea midfielders before finding Phillips on the wing.
His low cross nearly found Rondon but was turned away, but it came back in and was headed on target by Jay Rodriguez.
A minute later Rondon had the ball in the net with a header from a Phillips cross that Thibaut Courtois fumbled into his net, but the Venezuelan had strayed half a yard offside and it was correctly ruled out.

That bright start lifted the mood at the ground, and the home crowd were soon roaring on their team.
Minutes later Rodriguez slipped Rondon through on goal but Albion's No.9 was muscled off the ball too easily and the chance went begging.
It proved costly, because 17 minutes in, the visiting champions took the lead.
Eden Hazard, who had just been complaining of injury, sprung back to life and drove towards goal before fizzing a low shot towards the the far corner.

Foster did well to get a glove onto it, but he could only push it out to Morata, who gleefully tucked hom the rebound for his eighth league goal of the season.
If that goal was a kick in the teeth, the next one just seven minutes later knocked the stuffing out of Albion - and it was a clinical and classy move from Chelsea.

Cesc Fabregas fired the ball into Morata with his back to goal 35 yards out, but his gorgeous first-time flick on was enough to entice Foster off his line and into a footrace with Hazard.
The Belgian won it, and rounded the keeper with ease before tucking home Chelsea's second and celebrating with glee in front of the Birmingham Road End who had been booing him moments previously for making the most of a challenge.

Albion didn't give up though, and Phillips in particular looked threatening down the right. Unafraid to run at messrs Alonso and Cahill, his performance on the wing made you wonder why it had taken this long for Pulis to pick him.
And the crowd didn't turn at 2-0, they realised their team had been cut open by a superior team.

No, the goal that really took the sting out of the game and left the fans fuming was the third, eight minutes before half-time. Because unlike the first two, it was san inexcusable goal to concede.
Fabregas clipped a routine free-kick to the back post where Alonso was criminally unmarked, and so the Spaniard guided the ball into the roof of the net unchallenged.
After that, Albion's players were walking around shell-shocked until half-time - potentially aware of the gravitas of the scoreline.

Pulis dragged Paris Saint-Germain loanee Grzegorz Krychowiak off at half-time and replaced him with Claudio Yacob, who immediately added more fight than the Pole.
A tackle that won the ball from Fabregas in midfield drew the loudest cheer of the day from the home end, and when he rounded on the Spaniard for diving in the Baggies box, it was warmly received by supporters.

The Argentinian was obviously up for it, because he had a set-to with Morata soon after, just before Rondon was also booked for diving in the box.
Despite Yacob's attempts to ruffle a few feathers, the champions were in complete control, and they made it four shortly after the hour mark with another simple goal.
Fabregas's ball over the top was a straight one, but it found Hazard in acres, and the Belgian checked back inside Hegazi before curling his second goal of the afternoon into the far corner.
That prompted a mass exodus of Albion fans with half an hour still to go and more chants of 'Pulis Out' from the Smethwick End.

The Baggies boss sent Oliver Burke on with 15 minutes to go, and then gave James McClean seven minutes to make a difference.
The winger immediately stole the ball of Davide Zappacosta and rushed towards Courtois one-on-one, but just as those fans who had stayed started to beleive they would be rewarded with a consolation, McClean screwed his shot wide of the post.
What happens now is up to Lai and Williams.

KEY MOMENTS

05 Rondon heads Phillips's left-footed cross into the net, but it's correctly ruled out for offside.
17 GOAL CHELSEA - Morata tucks home the rebound after Foster does well to save Hazard's fizzing low shot.
23 GOAL CHELSEA - Fabregas fires the ball into Morata, whose glorious flick-on entices Foster to come out, but Hazard beats him to it and rounds the keeper ebfore finding the net.
37 GOAL CHELSEA - Fabregas clips a free-kick to the back post and an unmarked Alonso guides it unchallenged into the roof of the net.
63 GOAL CHELSEA - A simple ball over the top from Fabregas finds Hazard. He cuts back inside Hegazi before finding the net with ease.

MAN OF THE MATCH
Eden Hazard - Had a hand in three goals, scoring two of them.

POSITION IN THE TABLE
17th, with 10 points from 12 games.

TEAMS
Albion (5-3-2): Foster; Gibbs, McAuley, Hegazi, Evans (c), Phillips (McClean 84); Barry, Livermore, Krychowiak (Yacob 45); Rodriguez (Burke 70), Rondon. Unused subs: Myhill, Nyom, Brunt, Robson-Kanu.
Chelsea (3-5-2): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill (c); Zappacosta, Bakayoko, Kante (Willian 77), Fabregas (Drinkwater 67), Alonso; Hazard, Morata. Unused subs: Caballero, Rudiger, David Luiz, Amapdu, Pedro.
Referee: Jon Moss (Horsforth)
Attendance: 23,592 (2,733 away)

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